The invention relates to a reflector lamp which comprises a reflector body with a concave reflecting portion and an electric lamp, comprising a closed lamp vessel with at least an end portion, an electric element arranged in the lamp vessel, and current conductors extending through the end portion to the electric element. The invention also relates to an assembly of a lamp housing, a reflector lamp provided therein, and control means for controlling the reflector lamp, and to a method of assembling the above.
Reflector lamps are known in which the lamp vessel after alignment is fastened in that it is fixed in a neck formed at the concave reflector body by means of an adhesive agent (cement). This is disadvantageous because curing of the adhesive agent keeps the apparatus in which the lamp is aligned occupied during a considerably longer period than is necessary for the actual alignment. A further disadvantage is that the quality of the cement joint may deteriorate strongly owing to moisture absorption, which hampers the use of the reflector lamp in humid surroundings.
In addition, reflector lamps are known in which the lamp vessel is fastened to said neck of the reflector body by means of a mechanical fastening construction. Such a fastening construction is described, for example, in applicant""s European patent application EU 1 055 873 A2 not previously published.
A disadvantage of the known reflector lamps is that the alignment of the lamp is effected before the lamp is placed in the lamp housing by means of a separate fastening. This may mean that the lamp turns out to be insufficiently aligned after being placed. In addition, such a construction is comparatively complicated.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved reflector lamp in which the above disadvantages have been counteracted.
According to a first aspect of the invention, the reflector lamp for this purpose comprises a support body comprising reflector fastening means for fastening the support body to the reflector body, mechanical lamp vessel fastening means for fastening the support body to the end portion of the lamp vessel, and housing fastening means for fastening the support body in a lamp housing. A combined lamp and reflector fastening is achieved thereby, with the result that the lamp remains sufficiently aligned when placed in a housing. In addition, the number of components of the construction is reduced, which leads to a simpler construction.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support body is provided substantially around the reflector body, and the reflector fastening means comprise one or several abutment flanges on which the end face of the reflector body bears in axial direction, and resilient tags fastened to the support body, which tags engage the reflector body and urge the reflector body against the abutment flanges. Besides the advantage of a simple mounting of the reflector body in the support body, the positioning of the reflector body is retained in this embodiment.
Preferably, the reflector fastening means comprise three resilient tags positioned at substantially equal distances, whereby centering of the reflector body in the support body is promoted. To achieve a further improved centering of the reflector body, the reflector fastening means in addition comprise one or several tangential resilient portions for clamping the support body against the reflector body.
In a preferred embodiment, the housing fastening means comprise a number of resilient tags for clamping the support body (with the reflector body and lamp vessel fastened therein) in a lamp housing. The tags may be rigidly coupled to the lamp housing by means of welded and/or glued joints. In other preferred embodiments, the support body may be fastened to the lamp housing with clamping fit, or directly by means of a glued or welded joint.
According to another aspect of the invention, a reflector lamp is provided, preferably of the kind as described above, comprising:
a reflector body with a concave reflecting portion;
an electric lamp comprising a closed lamp vessel with a first and an opposed second end portion, an electric element arranged in the lamp vessel, and current conductors extending through the end portion to the electric element;
wherein an opening is provided in the concave portion of the reflector body so as to serve as a passage for the first end portion of the lamp vessel, and said end portion is fixed by means of a mechanical fastening construction positioned in the reflector body alongside the opening. The mechanical fastening construction here engages the first end portion of the lamp vessel in or immediately above the opening. The use of such a reflector body without a neck enables a stabler fastening of the lamp (burner), because the latter is fastened closer to the focal point. On the other hand, the reflector body shows fewer deformations owing to accumulations of material at the area of said opening, which improves the quality of directing of the light beam and makes the product simpler and accordingly less expensive. In addition, less material is used in the manufacture, and the fastening process is simpler.
Preferably, the mechanical fastening construction comprises means for aligning the lamp vessel and keeping it fixed in the aligned state. This provides an alignment of the lamp vessel.
The electric element of the lamp may be an incandescent body, possibly placed in an inert gas, or a pair of electrodes in an ionizable medium, for example in rare gas, or rare gas and mercury and/or sodium, in which case a high-pressure discharge is maintained during operation.